Dynamics 365 Unified Operations Online Life Cycle

The latest major version of Dynamics 365 for Unified Operations (AX) Online, called 8.0, became generally available in Apr. 2018. Current and upcoming versions of the service are shown above.

With the latest release, Unified Operations decreases the lifespan of application versions from three years to one year, adds a requirement for an annual update, and removes the need to update the underlying platform.

The Application layer (top) contains higher-level user features where customizations, integrations, and add-ons are applied.

The Platform layer (bottom) contains low-level features, such as security access and integration between functions.

The new servicing model is similar to the servicing model for Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (CRM). Customers can remain on a version (major or minor) if it is no more than one version behind the most current major version. The overlap of new versions is six months, provided Microsoft releases on a predictable schedule, which it has struggled to do. The shortened life cycle will likely require customers to maintain an ongoing test environment and a testing team that evaluates the potential impact of changes, and a development group that modifies customizations to ensure they work with new versions.